Surgery

Veterinary Surgical Group, LLP has been providing advanced surgical care on a referral basis for clients and their pets since 1982. Dr. William R. Daly (retired) was one of the first board certified veterinary surgeons to offer surgical care in the Houston metro area. We continue to provide only the most advanced and compassionate surgical care in the area.

We utilize the latest in techniques and equipment to provide advanced surgical care for your pet. We also utilize advanced imaging techniques (in house CT and fluoroscopy) to aid in diagnosis and surgical treatment. Our doctors will make sure you understand your pet's condition, understand your surgical options, and feel comfortable that your pet is being provided with only the best care.

Our Veterinary Surgeons

Dr. Banwell joined Veterinary Surgical Group and Bay Area Veterinary Specialists in 2004. He is a native of Lincoln, Nebraska and graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1996. He obtained his veterinary degree from Kansas State University in 2000, completed a small animal medical and surgical internship from 2000-2001 at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. He was then accepted in 2001 and completed his surgical residency training in 2004 at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. He passed the rigorous examination process to become board certified in Small Animal Surgery by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2005. Dr. Banwell is now the owner and director of Veterinary Surgical Group, LLP. He and his wife, Carly, have a twin boy and girl and a Portugese Water Dog named Ketch. They raise their family in Friendswood. Dr. Banwell is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys hunting and fishing.

Dr. Burkert joined Veterinary Surgical Group in 2008. He is a native of Hamburg, Pennsylvania. After working as a computer software engineer at the Kennedy Space Center for 7 years, he graduated with high honors from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. He completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship then a surgical residency at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. He became a board certified Small Animal Surgeon in 2006. Dr. Burkert has special interests in vertebral column disorders, cranial cruciate ligament disease, and arthritis. He has three rescued dogs Jivi, Lady Bird and Mabel. When outside of the hospital you can find Blaine riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle.

William D Liska, DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Surgeons

William D Liska, DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary SurgeonsGlobal Veterinary Specialists PLLC

William Liska received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1973 and went on to complete an Internship and Surgery Residency at The Animal Medical Center in New York City in 1976. He became a Board Certified Veterinary Surgeon by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1980. His primary interest is orthopedic surgery, and he spends a majority of his time performing joint replacement surgery.

In 2014, he founded Global Veterinary Specialists, performing joint replacement surgery and mentoring other surgeons. He is an internationally recognized expert in joint replacement surgery—specifically, total hip replacement in dogs, hip replacement in small dogs and cats, and total knee replacement in dogs. Liska has published numerous findings relevant to hip replacement and maintains the world’s largest ongoing registry of dogs and cats that have received hip replacements.

Dr. Liska was instrumental in development of the Micro / Nano Hip Replacement System for small dogs and for cats, and the Titanium EBM Collared Femoral Stem, and the BioMedtrix Canine Total Knee Replacement System. He conducted the clinical trials and reported on these devices. These components represent the international gold standard for canine and feline joint replacement implants.

Dr. Liska is the recipient of several awards, including the 2009 Practitioner Research Award from the American Veterinary Medical Association, the 2009 Veterinary Specialist of the Year and 1999 Companion Animal Practitioner of the Year from the Texas Veterinary Medical Association. Liska was awarded the Stange Award for Meritorious Service from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010 for outstanding professional achievements in practice and other professional endeavors.